Sports teams have been holding faith and family nights for many years, but in 2012 the St. Paul Saints became the first ever professional sports team to feature atheists night in what was billed “A Night of Unbelievable Fun” (sponsored by Minnesota Atheists and American Atheists). Even though the morning show hosts at Fox & Friends told their viewers to pray for a rainout it turned out to be a beautiful, sunny evening.

An acquaintance unfriended me on Facebook a few weeks ago because I had hit the “Like” button for a story in which a cop had been killed by a criminal. He assumed that I had hit the “Like” button because I hate cops so much that I am happy to see that one is killed in the line of duty. So, I tried to explain that since Facebook only has a Like button to acknowledge a story without comment, this was my only choice for saying “I see this, but I have no words and no comment.” He still unfriended me, and I was actually very angry at him for assuming that I was so hateful to cops, and to anyone at all for that matter, that I would celebrate their death or murder.

Hooray for spring! What better way to celebrate it than to walk in the May Day Parade with Minnesota Atheists.I really enjoy walking in the parade and holding signs representing secular values. It makes your day when you overhear someone from the crowd reading one of our signs exclaiming “Hug an Atheist”, and instead of coming out to hug one of us they hug the person standing right beside them. We truly do feel welcome at this parade, we get lots of cheers and everyone is in a festive mood.

The marriage equality movement has had a string of successes in referendum elections and the courts. Today same-sex marriages are recognized by the federal government and are legal in 37 states and the District of Columbia. The bans on same-sex marriage are being challenged in court cases in the remaining 13 states. When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the 2013 United States v. Windsor case because provisions of the law denied same-sex couples of equal protection of the law, Justice Antonin Scalia scolded his colleagues that the logic of the decision would be used to overturn all state prohibitions of same-sex marriage. Now is not a time for complacency, however. Be certain that the opposition, almost exclusively from churches and religiously affiliated organizations, has not given up. Until same-sex marriage is recognized and permitted everywhere in the nation, the danger persists that all of these gains could be rolled back.

Phil Robertson, from A&E’s popular Duck Dynasty show has shared his Bible-based philosophy about many things including same-sex relationships and race. Last week he argued for absolute morality as decided by God. To illustrate his position he shared an imaginary scenario.